Smith handled with care
Brent Read
August 29, 2005
Parramatta 48 v Canberra 10
TIM SMITH was hurting. The Eels halfback, a shoo-in as rookie of the year, missed a tackle on Canberra second-rower Ian Hindmarsh on half-time, allowing Canberra to take a 10-6 lead into the break at Parramatta Stadium.
Brian Smith could sense his halfback was disappointed so he sought him out for a quiet word.
"Smithy came to me at half-time and said 'put that behind you and get out there and try to lead the blokes around the park'," Tim Smith said. "I just made the wrong choice to tackle. I try to pride myself on my defence and let myself down."
The 20-year-old didn't let anyone down after the break. Five minutes into the second half he stepped off his left foot and beat some innocuous defence before sparking an avalanche of points as the Eels moved into top spot on the ladder and favouritism for the minor premiership.
Victory over Brisbane on Friday night is the only thing standing between Parramatta and the JJ Giltinan Shield, which it last claimed in 2001.
"Tim Smith was so disappointed," Brian Smith said. "He's worked so hard at the defensive aspects of his game. He missed a relatively simple tackle and he did the thing he hasn't done all year let it get to him.
"Today, I think he made better decisions, particularly with his kicking. He didn't get too fancy even when the score got a bit fat. I was really pleased with the maturity he showed."
The scoreline may been lop-sided, but it wasn't all one-way traffic at Parramatta Stadium. The Raiders looked capable of matching the Eels in the first half, with five-eighth Jason Smith controlling the opening 40 minutes.
"The scoreline looks like we put them to the sword," coach Smith said.
"We have enormous respect for that team. It was a tough game. For a long, long time they put it right to us. The main thing is our team performed well today under pressure."
Parramatta had a helping hand from the Raiders, who turned over too much ball in the second half. The Eels took full toll and extinguished Canberra's slim hopes of a place in the finals with a seven-try second stanza.
It was one of those days for the Raiders, who have enjoyed success recently with short kick-offs but came away empty-handed in seven attempts yesterday.
"This week we were a chance of still being alive in the semis," Elliott said. "It was a game I honestly believe if we looked after the ball we could have gone close. I would have liked to have tested them a bit more.
"We didn't ask them any questions in the second half. You just can't win footy games like that. Both the halves were outstanding kicking the ball.
"It's the highest standard kicking game there is. It's made more effective when you keep giving them the ball."
Parramatta winger Luke Burt was the chief beneficiary of Canberra's goodwill and the precise kicking of five-eighth John Morris and halfback Smith, who had a hand in four tries.
Burt scored from a Joel Reddy bust in the 53rd minute, a pinpoint Smith kick in the 73rd and a well-weighted Morris grubber with three minutes remaining.
He had the chance to break his own club point-scoring record of 28 points but his penalty shot on the bell sailed wide.
"I cracked under the pressure," Burt joked.
The Eels will host Brisbane on Friday night with the minor premiership at their mercy.
Coach Smith has his side firing and several players - Eric Grothe (back), Timana Tahu (hand), Glenn Morrison (finger) and Daniel Wagon (leg) - are due back from injury.
A week later they begin the finals as one of the picks for the premiership. Elliott, however, warned the title was anything but guaranteed.
"There are a couple of teams, if they do sneak in I think will be a handful," he said. "The Roosters will be a handful if they get there. If you win the minor premiership and you play them you're in for an interesting first week, aren't you?"
